Behind Our Masks
by JosieGallup
Summary: It's just her, her dragon, and the world...That is until she Crashes into Berk and is faced with meeting a large group people for the first time. She is taken as "questionable" because of her unknown dragon. Finding love amongst this odd group is a maybe, but not with the ever questioning Hiccup. He wants to know how she was raised by dragons...And Escape from Berk is inevitable.
1. Chapter 1: The Crash

**Hey everyone! Its Josie :) gasp, a story? Its been forever! Well here it is! and its HTTYD! **

**Comment, Review, and follow? **

**I do not own anything having to do with Dreamworks How to Train Your Dragon, even though wow.**

**just so everyone knows, Her character will develop, don't ask about her name or anything, you'll meet her more in the next chapter :) So stick with it and review if you think I should update! Open minds my friends, open minds. Enjoy!**

Chapter 1: The Crash.

"Stop! Stop stop stop!" Came the aggressive laughter through my chest as I wrestled out of my dragons tickling teeth. He seemed to laugh, almost amused by my misery. Tickling was the only thing I couldn't stand, I could be lit on fire, be thrown off this dragons back and into lakes, trees and any type of rock you can imagine with only a few scratches...But tickling? No. Not my thing.

He was nibbling at my stomach, and I couldn't take it. I snorted and tried to roll away, but his snout followed me and kept on tickling.

"Bonemask! Quit! I-I-Swear I'll-" He stood back smirking, almost as if he was threatening me to do whatever I was about to mention. "I'll..." I stood up and grabbed at his snout, petting it softly the way he liked behind his pointed teeth in between the nostrils. I scratched towards his giant horns, feeling the soft, dry material of them scratch my dirty fingertips. His eyes fluttered shut. "I'll love you even more..." He seemed to purr.

"Well ya stinker," I laughed, trying not to smile excessively, he doesn't like it when I smile.

"We'd better head out." I started packing up the things that laid at my feet. Tucking my knife into my belt, my pencil, map, bottle of zippleback gas and sparker, and a few other dragon weapons I had invented, considering Bonemask can't be there to protect me 24/7, and I shouldn't expect him too.

I shoved my notebook and colored chalks into my backpack that had hung loosely on my back until now, and the fur sleeping bag I hooked onto Bonemask's saddle. He laid his head calmly on the earth and looked at me, waiting for me to finish packing up. He knows that I can pack exceptionally quick, considering we only have a few things and I designed all my things to be light and for easy packing in emergency situations. I was going slow, only because theres no reason to be fast...

"Mr. Mask," I smiled, making his eyes light up with distaste, he really hated smiles...its a breed type of territorial thing I guess, the whole teeth baring thing. "Ready to fly?" His eyes lost the hint of distain that had shown in them brightly and was replaced by the excitement of flying.

I climbed onto his neck and positioned myself in the saddle. "Lets go stinker." He roared mightily, sending the hairs on the back of my neck upwards in a thrilling tingle. His bright blue skin seemed to glow underneath my legs, and his giant horns glowed black in the dusk light. We soared up into the air, I relaxed as he flattened out, the exhilaration gone.

We soon soared past the trees below us as they grew small and settled into a calm flight over the ocean.

"Where ya wanna go Bone." He roared a reply, trying to look high and mighty as we flew past gronkles, they immediately turned and flew away. Bonemask snickered, his joy eminent in his bright yellow eyes. His face was masked in an unusual white that went until his horns erupted from his skull. It made him look like he had a bone mask, hence his name. After spending my whole life with dragons, and my deranged brother who promised there was something about dragons we didn't know about, that they could be harnessed for power, we could put a muzzle on the dragon's way of life and steer them towards us. I left him years ago. Being a lonely 16 year old, finding Bonemask was the best thing that could've ever happened to me. Its been 4 years since I found him, and we've been traveling the world ever since I tamed him, made a saddle out of some leather that I um...borrowed...From some vikings up north. I draw dragons, I'm trying to make a book with every one known to man. I'll be a legend. A dragon master. Even the people who ride dragons don't know about every one of them yet, I've seen dragons they haven't named, haven't heard of. Dragons that can turn living things to stone when threatened, dragons that mimic voices they hear to confuse and terrify anyone close to their territory or nest, mice sized dragons, dragons who eat different things and become the color that they consumed the most of... Wonders mere people on these islands have ever seen.

"Bone," I got his attention, sitting upright at the sudden movement below us. I quickly clicked my ankles together and they locked securely between two metal clips I designed. I spread my arms wide and let myself fall to the side and securely hung from Bonemask's neck.

"Low ya stinker." He obliged, and lowered a little as we spied on what was under us as we masked ourselves in the clouds.

It was a dragon, an ordinary gronkle. I love Gronkles, I've never been able to draw all the spots they've got on their short lumpy bodies perfectly yet, so I got really excited.

"Bone! Lets go Lets go!" I said as I scrambled up onto his neck and unclicked my heels. He growled a little in mock irritation and did as I asked, which proved that he wasn't actually all that irritated.

I climbed down his massive back and laid down in between his shoulder blades. I leaned over his shoulder and looked past his enormous flapping wings to the small Gronkle below who hadn't noticed us yet. Good.

I pulled the pencil and notebook out of their hiding places on my belt and backpack and began to sketch a hurried picture. Each bump on the Gronkle's body becoming more detailed with each passing second. I hurried to grab a brown chalk out of my bag and began to shade the body delicately, careful not to smudge the black outline. I added some purple and some black shading to it. Once I was done, I looked back down at the Gronkle and realized he was slowing down a little preparing to land. But... where was there to land. I shrugged, Gronkles aren't exactly smart anyways. So I shrugged and started to put all my pencils and notebook back into my backpack.

"Bonemask, scare it away if you want, I'm don-" Then my face hit a tree. I screamed against Bone's roar of pain and shock. The fog around us was thick and heavy, I almost couldn't breathe. We tumbled, hitting rocks and trees as we crashed. "Bone!-" I managed to scream as we tumbled away from each other and into the thick woods of wherever we were at. My head ached and I felt my body go limp and my vision go black. "Bone..." I whispered, feeling my brain slip into a sleep I've never experienced before.


	2. Chapter 2: Dragon Nappers

My head ached, I groaned as I rolled over onto my side. It had been hours since the crash, I could tell. Nighttime was thick, and I couldn't see much. With a quick motion I grabbed my torch out of my bag and lit it with a quick flick of the wrist and a match. "Bonemask!" I yelled out, and was greeted by a low growl from behind some bushes. Out popped his blue and white head in the low light, horns scratching on the trees next to him. One of his horns has cracked, his nose was bleeding and his eye was swollen shut.

"Bone!" I gasped, scrambling up and darting over to him. I stuck the torch in the ground and I cradled his head in my arms as I looked him over. I could mend the horn with some tar if I had the right kind...But for the other things, I'll need some herbs to make a poultice. Maybe I could find what I need out here? Who knows.

"Can you walk alright?" I asked timidly, watching his eyes flutter shut. He nodded, and I led him out of the tangle of bushes he was in. I scoped his body, seeing places that were turned red and scratched. He was beat up, he took the blows head on and tried to grasp at me, but we were thrown away from each other... He looked a little disappointed as he nudged my leg, and his tongue swept out of his mouth to lick at my legging's.

"Bone those are just my pants..." I laughed, getting a scowl from him, as I felt his tongue touch skin instead of the rough leather that covered my legs. I looked down and saw the leather ripped away revealing a gash the size of my forearm, and I almost couldn't breathe.

"WHAT." I said flatly, sitting down and stretching my leg out in front of me. The adrenaline rush to find Bone must have masked the pain I feel now. Will I be able to walk? I sighed, Bonemask laid down and curled around me, he was huge, but it was still nice to be able to lean against my enormous friend and feel like he was there for me. I looked up at him and he looked down at me with a "I told ya so" expression. "Thanks Bone."

I reached into my backpack and took out some bandages I kept in there. I looked down at my cut and picked out pine needles and dirt. The canteen at my belt was empty, I had meant to fill it up later, but...That plan kinda backfired. Bone watched me calmly, his eyes half shut as he breathed. Once I got all the gunk out of my cut I realized it was pretty deep... almost scary deep...How did I not notice the dried blood down my ankle? My boot that had been a light colored tan, was now darker in the torch light. I was passed out and all, but I mean...Once I woke up I should've...

"Bone, I don't know if I can walk.." He looked at me fully, looking menacing in the torch light. He breathed heavily through his nose and stood, spreading his wings above me. They were over 100 feet long each, and they were menacing. I'm sure glad he's my friend...

As I looked at his wing that I sat under, I noticed a tear in it...It was dark and hard to see though, so I couldn't tell exactly. I grabbed the torch from the ground where I had left it and held it up towards his wing.

"Woah..." I breathed, barely believing my eyes. There above me gaped a massive hole in his wing. It might not be as big as I think, compared to his body size? But wow, I could crawl through it and my riding helmet, which had sharp spikes sticking out the sides, could clear the sides with ease. This was NOT good. "Bone's, why didn't you tell me earlier?" He closed his wing and I ducked the fire out of his way...He was a stoker dragon, If he caught on fire It wouldn't be such a bad thing for him, but for me? Yikes.

"Bonemask," I sighed, slumping over and throwing my helmet off. "This is horrible." He flicked his tail at my helmet and scooted it towards me again, I smiled a little and put it back on.

"What should we do?" He didn't do anything, he didn't know either.

My senses heightened, I could hear something coming towards us. Bone heard something too, his eyes changed from being dilated with comfort, to sudden hostile slits. I put out the torch, and with difficulty, I grabbed my face mask and slipped it under my helmet where it clicked and stayed in place. No one would see my face, they would only see someone with menacing horns like her dragon, one who stood tall and menacing. I stood and leaned against Bone, he was stable when I wasn't, and I silently thanked him. "Bonemask, Up? Can you manage that?" He growled a little and leaned his head down, I climbed on top of him and stood near his head, barely holding on as he lifted his head up again and stood still, watching.

"Over here guys." Came a voice, it sounded male. I stiffened, I felt my eyes do the same thing Bone's had done, narrow.

People walked through the trees, their torches glowing brightly. I didn't move, and neither did Bone.

"What's that?" came a female voice as they drew closer.

"A dragon?" another whispered.

"Yeah...its a..."

"TYPHOOMERANG." they all hissed, becoming excited and terrified at the same time.

A man, dressed in armor with an odd dragon symbol in red on his shoulder stood out, gesturing to all those behind him to stay.

"Hey Bud..." He whispered soothingly to Bonemask. Bone's eyes only narrowed. They hadn't seen me yet and I wanted to make sure I knew what they were doing before I sprung into action. We couldn't exactly make a get away, with his wing and my leg...So we'd have to run, or scare them off, and neither sounded like too much fun actually.

"Maybe we can train it..." Came the voice of the man who walked towards us. My eyes narrowed. He's already been trained thank you very much.

"We aren't going to hurt you." He crept forward, a black dragon appeared from behind the trees and crept towards him. "Toothless no, You might scare him." I snickered a little under my breath, scare Bonemask? Uh no. Just TRY.

He was already at his nose, reaching, Bonemask pulled away suddenly and I tapped him behind his horn three times, a signal we made up for a roar...a bone chilling roar. He obliged, baring his teeth. The training dude backed up and the black dragon rushed forward. He roared too, baring his teeth that hadn't been there.

I'd had enough of this nonsense.

I jumped down in front of Bonemask and held out a hand, a little compartment on the wrist of my glove released Zippleback gas as I pressed a little switch and my other hand flew out in a clap, sparking it. My gloves glowed, they were made of shedded stoker class dragon scales, and stayed lit for a few minutes. The black dragon called Toothless stopped roaring and stared in kind of a confused amazement. The people around the dragon started with confusion and backed up, all except the "I'm going to train your dragon" one, who stood next to the dragon who rushed to protect him.

"Who are you?" He asked, his eyes a little wide but otherwise there was no other expression on his face except of amazement.

I didn't answer. I just held out my arms calmly and Bonemask held out his wings, flapping them to try and scare them away. The blonde braid that ran down my back whipped from side to side and I didn't move at all. They all moved back in terror...Except the wide eyed black dragon owner. I almost growled in irritation. Go away, let me heal my dragon and myself without being interrupted by people. For God's sake, GO.

"Who...Are...You." his patience was wearing thin, I could tell.

Again I wouldn't answer, I looked at him through the slits in my mask, and was really happy he couldn't see my face. He snarled a little, looking almost deathly, I lose my smirk that was hidden under my mask and it turned into a satisfied smile. He turned and walked away, his dragon following him, looking over his shoulder sadly as his owner made him leave. "Ruff, Tuff...Catch." came the man, and I lost my smile.

A Zippleback was suddenly rushing towards us, its TWO riders hollering wildly. I Jumped back onto Bone who howled and roared at the two headed dragon wildly, defending me and himself. A weighted ball and chain was thrown around Bone's snout, ending his roar abruptly. I growled, grabbing my knife and heading towards his snout to cut him free before they could trap him completely.

I was grabbed suddenly and Ripped upwards, with a scream I watched Bone become small, and his eyes search for me... When they found me, they widened in terror, and he became as frantic as a newborn Monstrous Nightmare. I screamed his name, crying out against whatever was carrying me away from him. I watched them take him down and I heard his grunts of protest.

"BONEMASK!" I cried against the wind, and looked up at the underbelly of a black dragon.

"Oh, so thats his name?" came that voice, the training man.

"Let me go!" I screamed at him,

"Not until you tell me who you are and where you came from." "Why Is that necessary?!"

"Because you're interesting and I want to know how the heck you tamed a Typhoomerang to the point of friendship. I've met a few...But never have I seen a completely trained one. How?"

"How do you train other dragons? Simple as that. Now bring me back to him."

"No."

"Why?" I snarled, trying to see him past this black dragon's wings.

"Because then you'll leave, and I want to know how you trained a Typhoomerang. That's impossible."

"Obviously its not, I've done it. Give me back my dragon and put me down!"

"I'm Hiccup..."

"I don't care who you are I just want my dragon back." I smirked, and his dragon peered his head down to look at me, its green eyes glaring through me.

"If you drop me as a threat, I'll just take it as you're letting me go and just keep falling." The dragon looked a little irritated and disappointed.

"I'm taking you back to Berk." I frowned, scoping behind them to try and see Bone... They were either too far away, or they hadn't been able to catch him... I smile at the thought.

"What's Berk?"

"You've never heard of it before?" He sounded shocked, like I was suddenly supposed to know what the hell that meant, I mean come on, I've traveled world wide, but the whole thing about traveling the world is, you usually go in a circle...I was headed this way, duh I hadn't seen this part before.

"No, regrettably I have not." I struggled with the dragon's talons and cried out as they dug into my arm deeper.

"Well...Now you have." I strained to look. There below me stood a village, a pretty massive one at that. Dragons walked in between buildings and with people. Normal ones at that, or usual ones I've already seen. My excitement turned into nonchalant disappointment, a typical feeling really, the only slightly unusual dragon was this Night fury this dude was riding, and I've seen a few of them across the sea headed West.

We swooped towards the ground, and I kept a hand on my knife. People gathered around the area we were about to land in and started to point and gawk at me. That's when I realized...There's no way off of this damn island without a fight.

I


	3. Chapter 3: The so-called Chief of Berk

I wondered what they saw that was out of the ordinary.

I had leather leggings on, they were strung with a heavy belt, a bag of scales at my waist for more inventions like my gloves, my small knife and the series of homemade weapons. I had large fur boots in a light tan, and My shirt was red and had a cross of leather buckles across the front in an X for holding things when needed. They couldn't see my face, my blue eyes...the freckles that danced across my cheeks when I didn't wear my helmet for shade. They could see my mask, a metal face mask and ear covering that wrapped around my face and clipped onto my spiked hat that only rested on the crown of my head. The horns were made to match Bone's. They saw me still and hold my hand to my belt, but they couldn't see my wide eyes and feel the horrible feeling in my stomach as I saw people.

I barely knew anyone, just my brother...We were orphaned when people attacked our village when my brother and I were younger, and we were thrown away like trash, only two and three at the time. A dragon, a monstrous nightmare, known for taking care of its young rather profusely found us and took us back to its nest. We lived there ever since, just living with dragons. We've spied on other Vikings, learned their language just because we had nothing else to do...We were rather sad, but of course we survived and were alright.

But since I grew up with no one, I've always been terrified of people.

I said nothing as Hiccup and his Night Fury lowered me to the ground and let go. I landed with a soft thud of my boots and almost fell, my leg on fire at the impact. I crouched low to the ground, pressing my fingertips into the ground and looking at everyone. Hiccup dismounted his dragon and walked towards me, making a sandwich with the crowd and him...and me in the middle. I felt horrible, for once I wasn't menacing.

Should I use the Zippleback gas? The knife? My gloves? How about my poisoned Scauldron tooth? Anything to get me out of here right? I crouched lower, my eyes darting everywhere at once. My heart was racing and I couldn't breathe.

"This...Is Berk." Hiccup said, brushing his mass of brown hair back, his fingers getting caught in the two small braids behind his ear. He had a handsome face, but I really didn't like him, he hasn't proven himself worthy of my trust, my presence, or anything of the sort. I wanted OUT, and he was keeping me from it, so I hated him.

I snorted back at him as a reply, really not liking being in this situation. Everyone seemed to press in on me, making my breathing come in short gasps.

"W-Where's my dragon?" I stuttered, creeping back and forth a little, trying to find an escape. Hiccup just crossed his arms and looked down at me, a smile was spreading across his lips, he looked a little curious..His eyes were softening, he was searching me...I shook a little, hating his gaze.

"Take off your mask?" He asked a little more soothingly. I shook my head vigorously...This mask was staying in its place, I felt like it was the only thing keeping me hidden and giving me the upper hand. I wasn't going to be shoved down, below any of these people.

"Please?" He said soothingly... When I shook my head again, he frowned a little. I turned around with difficulty because of my leg and looked to the skies, where dragons and their riders lowered a struggling-bound-up beast who was tied up almost past recognition.

"Bone!?" I yelled at him, his eyes shot towards me and he struggled more. I stood up fully, limping towards him as fast as I could. Once he was on the ground I took out my knife and began to feverishly cut at his bindings. "Bone! Aw Bone, It'll be ok-" and suddenly I was yanked away from him, the sudden motion causing a rather odd squeal out of me and the knife fell at my feet. Bone flipped out, He tried to roar, but his bindings weren't exactly off of his snout yet and it was just a muted yelp. "Bone!" I cried out, tears stinging at my eyes. I looked behind me and caught a glimpse of the damn brown hair and braids. "Let me go!" I screamed at him.

"No, just please, I can't let you leave yet, I have questions." He dragged me backwards, I tried to thrash my legs, but yelped in pain, making Hiccup stop dragging me for a second, but continue gently.

We disappeared into a hut thing, and I felt my throat tighten. This is what they live in? I've only seen one on the outside before, and I never thought they'd look like this...

"Whatever questions you have for me I won't answer them." My voice shook, but I held his gaze through the wooden slits in my mask.

He paced a little, letting me go with a swing of the wrist. I tried to shake the urge to sit and look at my disgruntled leg. He was odd looking, he had acquired a large fur cape thing and was wearing it over his shoulders. It might be cold outside, but then again when did the cold ever bother me?

I glared through my mask, deciding he was an enemy and I shouldn't trust him at all.

"Do you even know who I am?" He pursed his lips, his eyes cast to the ground.

I glared, straightening up and keeping a close hand on my belt. "Should I?" He laughed a little and I realized he had stubble on his cheekbones and jaw, accenting his smile a little if it could.

"I'm the chief of Berk. This whole Island is in my control and guidance." I didn't move, what's a chief? "And all I'm asking is for some reasonable information as to who you are, and how the heck you managed to tame a Typhoomerang?"

"I didn't know there was anyone else in the world who trained dragons, let alone a whole island full of you guys." That was a lie. Sure, I might be terrified of these beasts who look like me, but I knew that listening was a solid virtue. I've heard the rumors of these people from across the ocean.

I managed to turn smoothly and look at the pictures hanging on the wall. Some were of a man with a large beard, he looked a little like Hiccup and had a similar cape on. His father perhaps?

"Yes, and I didn't think there were people out there who trained them either, none of us did." He grabbed my arm for emphasis and looked at my mask carefully, his eyes flickered all over the place. "Where are the rest of your people? Can we meet them?" Hope was glimmering in those big brown eyes and I frowned.

"People?" I shook my arm loose, "I live with the dragons, and if you ever touch me again, you can just say goodbye to that pretty little head of yours." I flicked a piece of soot off my shoulder and into his face, sparking a little bit of anger in him.

He was the one to reach for his belt, where I saw the smallest of daggers and smiled a little. His hand relaxed and his eyebrows went back to their "normal" position on his freckled forehead, second thoughts on stabbing the new friend to Berk are we?

"Just let me go, Bone too. We never meant to land here, we just needed a place to sleep ok?" He softened.

"Take off your mask, please." He got closer, closer... His feet, one of them a weird metal pegleg, moved towards me slowly and his hand stretched out. I backed into the wall behind me, a sharp pain in my leg made me think about what the heck I'm doing here.

His fingertips grazed the chin of my mask and I turned my head a little, terror gripping at my stomach muscles.

"Stop, please! Stop I-" and it was over my head quicker than I've ever taken it off myself. I gasped, breathing rapidly as my chest heaved in terror. My eyes must be huge, they feel like it, but I cant close them. His eyes widened, he took a step back and dropped my mask. I placed flat palms against the wall and scooted back with my good leg, going nowhere.

I wanted out, I wanted away, he's way more terrifying without my mask and I'm revealed, a simple dragon-like girl.

"What's your name?" he had almost an awe to his voice and his eye contact was uncanny.

"I don't have a name…" I looked away, I looked down, trying to hide again.

His voice was a low growl almost and his awe turned into a sneer. "You do too. Tell me."

I swallowed as he moved in closer, trying to get me to talk.

I didn't have a name, the whole time I spent being called something it was "sister" and the only person I knew was "brother." how was I to know what a name should be? I never called myself anything besides...well, me.

I frowned. "I told you, I don't have one." He blinked again.

He reached forward, grasping a piece of my long hair in his fingers. "How about Ingrid." I blinked.

"My love died a few years ago, struck down by the dragon she trusted for so long," he seemed to smile a bit. "She loved that name... we were going to name our-" he choked, clearing his throat. He seemed to some to his senses. "You look like an Ingrid."

I smiled a little, nodding. I guess I have a name now.


	4. Chapter 4: Trust

Blinking, he stared at me for a minute, his eyes unblinking. Finally after minutes of awkward silence was passed between us, he blinked and realized what he was doing. He paced once again, and I couldn't help but think about how much this man liked moving.

"That's a Norse name huh? Where'd you come from?" He was asking me a lot of questions, and I just wanted to ask If I could have my mask back.

"I've only ever seen one Typhoomerang that was reasonably well mannered, and it was only a baby." I smiled a little, and that caught his attention. He moved in closer, obviously not caring much for personal space.

"So, you do smile." I frowned at that, making him laugh. Once he moved away, I sat down quietly and took off my boot, He was over there talking about something and his back was to me. With a quick movement I slid up what was left of my leggings and looked at my lower leg. There was blood, but it wasn't broken, a giant cut raged up the side and looked gross so I didn't stare for too long.

"About that dragon again though-" and he cut himself short, his eyes were on my leg. "What happened? I heard you sound like you were hurt but…"

"You guys happened, that's what." How could I tell him that we just crashed into an island? Obviously we weren't paying attention, I was drawing. I sighed, not meeting his gaze. He knelt next to my leg and tenderly touched the edge of the cut, blood was left on his fingertips as he pulled away. As he stood I saw the muscles in his legs contract under those thin leather leggings, I practically heard his joints creak from the movement that seemed easy. I watched him walk away, his peg leg making a clicking noise against the wooden floor with every step.

"So about that dragon," He said as he opened a chest and took a few jars out, strategically knowing what he was doing. I know a variety of herbs and plants, in fact I pride myself in my knowledge, but I couldn't tell what was in any of those jars just by sight. The plants on this island were different too? Let alone the people for gods sake. I've heard of them before, the riders of the Isle of Bert or something…

"What about Bone?" I said quietly, looking up at him through my bangs.

"He didn't seem to be in good shape either." He wet a washcloth in a basin that stood next to him. "I can fix him."

"I know what I'm doing when it comes to bone," He handed me a mix of herbs in a small bowl, it seemed to have some water in it. I took it slowly, smelling it, "When it comes to me…People…" Our eyes met for a moment, his cape created almost some sort of cave, I could feel the heat off of him and it made me long for bone and the tent he makes with his wings when its cold out. His eyes flickered away and he occupied himself with dabbing my wound. I stared at him, trying to sort myself out.

"Do you have any tar?" He didn't look up at me when I spoke, I noticed that his cheeks were a little pink.

"Yes." He was intent on cleaning up my leg. I flinched as he got to close to my leg. I watched his eyes move, the dark shade of brown was fascinating.

"I need that for Bone." He nodded, and motioned to the bowl of stuff he gave me.

"Eat that," totally disreguarding my words. He had gotten cold so it seemed, more serious, less in a frenzy for information and more into a strict "You're listening to me" kind of thing. I looked away from his eyes, but I noticed they were looking at me out of their corners now.

"What'll it do?" caution was the only escape I had now, this Viking chief was trying to take care of me and I couldn't really stop him. I don't know what to do with myself anyways, I would've just wrapped it up and called it good.

"Keep infection away, and I added Kidney Root for the pain." I glanced at him again, skeptical.

"Just let me heal Bone first," He looked at me, setting his hand on my leg. I flinched a little, glancing at his calloused hand that lay on my knee.

"No one questions the Chief on Berk."

"No way am I letting 'the Chief of Berk' boss me around."

"You have to stay here," he said with a hiss, sitting up straight and balancing on his heels. "I'll take care of your dragon."

"No!" and he crossed his arms.

"Yes!" I glared at him, a moment of silence passed and we stared at each other for what seemed like a while. His eyes were doing that flicker thing again, he was searching my face for something, I didn't know what.

He turned away, his cloak making a wooshing sound as its fur swung behind him. Without thinking, I stood, feeling a sharp pang in my leg, I didn't care. The door was about 15 feet away from me, if I ran across the room I could run out to Bone and get out of here, heal the both of us my own way (or at least him).

So I ran. I tripped a little over a rug that lay on the ground and stumbled, looking over my shoulder quickly. He was sprinting towards me, his eyes narrowed and his forehead creasing with effort and anger. I limped a little but managed to get to the door and fall into the handle. I stumbled for it, trying to open it. I felt his arms slide around my waist and I was being pulled at, I gripped at the handle and tried to stay there, he was strong, I'll give him that.

"Let me go!" I wailed, tears welling up in my eyes. He gave a final tug and we both toppled backwards, his arm went up and gripped my shoulder and I felt the muscles in his chest and stomach tighten as he prepared for the impact of the ground.

With a bang, we landed in a heap. Breathing heavily, I wrestled with him, feeling the sting of my leg but not caring.

"Why are you doing this?!" He asked as he worked to grab both of my wrists. I was crying now, tears were streaming down my face rapidly and I could barely see him underneath me.

"Just let me see my dragon! Please! He's my best friend!" I wailed and punched, my tears fueling my anger, he seemed to soften a little at those words and I stood up.

Hugging myself seemed like the only option available, so I did so and limped a little back to the corner near the fire and sat there crying into my knees softly.

I heard his footsteps, and then a hand on my shoulder made me flinch.

"I'm just trying to help you, I hope you know that." I didn't look at him.

"By doing what? Hurting my pride? Stealing my already hurt dragon? Making me take some weird herbal potion that might as well be toxic for all I know?" I sniffed, "You're not helping me, all you're doing is making things worse." He took his hand off my shoulder, and I couldn't understand where he went. I looked up, and found him sitting next to me, facing me, with his head set sideways on his arms and he was staring at me again. I hid in my arms but left an eye to see him with.

He just stared at me, Blinking occasionally.

"You know, when I was about 15, my father took away Toothless once to try and find the nest of the dragons and defeat the Red Death. I felt horrible, he's my best friend." He glanced away for a second. "He needed him, and Its not exactly that we need your dragon, but we need all the knowledge we can to add to our book of dragons, we need you." I blinked the tears from my eyes and realized how close he was. I collected myself a little by tucking my knees in and hugging them tighter.

"We wont hurt your dragon, I promise." And I believed him.

"Please just eat this ok?" he handed me the bowl of herbs and I took it.

It was cold, and my tears didn't help me out much. I shivered as I ate the herbs quietly. Hiccup stretched my leg out and put some type of herb mix on it, making me cringe when he spit in the bowl as he crushed the leaves. I leaned against the wall and shivered as he worked, I was tired.

"What was in that exactly?"  
>"Nothing."<p>

"Sedatives." I whispered, banging my head on the wall as I leaned back all the way. He jumped up and put a hand behind my head.

"Sorry…You'd try to run away…Plus you need the rest."

I felt it working, whatever it was, my eyes were halfway closed and I was drifting into some sort of sleep.

"Just rest ok?" he laid me down and I caught a glimpse of him taking off his cape and putting it over me.

"Make sure Bone gets enough food...He'll whine all night."

Blackness pressed at my eyelids, and I saw Hiccup sit down and lean against the wall next to me.

I feel somewhat safe I guess.


	5. Chapter 5: The book and the dragons

I woke with a slight jump. Gasping for air, I felt for the giant stoker dragon that usually slept next to me and found an empty floor. I sat up, sniffing the air quietly. My leg seemed alright, the swelling had gone down underneath the bandages although it still pulsed painfully underneath my leggings. Hiccup had gone, the remains of the herb-ish bowl sat at my feet, the fire had gone down drastically. I frowned and rubbed my eyes as I looked around the place.

Had he taken care of Bone yet? There were no windows so I couldn't tell, I guess they just let in the cold anyways. I wondered what was going on, he didn't seem to be anywhere. I walked through the house, finding my way around the small place with ease. Upstairs was a bedroom, a large bed in the middle with pelts and fur surrounding it for warmth. I crept through the door, finding myself inside before I knew it, it wasn't too large.

There was a variety of single boots on the ground, only for the one real foot I guess. There was a window up here, heavily packed in with cloth and tar to seal it from the cold. I glanced around at the neatly organized objects, a few books or journals were spread around as well as charred branches. He was an odd guy.

Something caught my eye though, a feminine article of sorts. There was a simple headband on the night table, and I couldn't help but grasp at it. It was simple, leather, and had a few small designs and triangles carved into the surface. It wasn't unused, the scratches along its surface seemed to reveal its longevity. There were a few pieces of blonde hair stuck to it, and I guessed that was his "Love's" or something like that.

I set it down and slunk around quickly, my knuckles touched the cold floorboards in a forward motion... I looked down at them, the skin slightly worn out from doing so. I opened and closed my hands timidly, flexing the stiff tendons in my fingers and staring… Do I always walk like this? Like a dragon? I must admit that its much faster, but how Hiccup walks, is that how humans walk all of the time?

Shrugging, I listened for footsteps and heard none. He still wasn't back. I still paced his room, sniffing around and poking through odds and ends, most of the mess in here were papers crumpled and thrown around. I slunk down again, peeking under the bed frame and something glistened back at me, making me freeze.

I slipped under the bed and snatched whatever it was. The leather was rough against my fingers and I traced the metal studs that held this thing together. It seemed to be a book, a giant one at that. It was almost as big as my whole forearm.

"So." I jumped, dropping the book and crouching low, backing away. I kind of cleared my throat and stood almost, still keeping a hand behind me and pressed flat in case I needed to stride away. Hiccup was tall, he honestly seemed to tower above me. I watched him stoop to get the book I had dropped and saw a small smile pull at his lips. He looked up at me under his lashes, "making ourselves at home now are we?" I swallowed, looking at him calmly although my heart was racing. He ran his hand over the cover of the book, looking at me all the while.

"Do you know what this is?" I blinked, trying to focus. Shaking my head, I slunk away a little, looking for an escape again, I couldn't be cornered.

I noticed his peg leg, how it seemed to be overly mechanical, but yet completely simple all at the same time. I stiffened, watching his eyes glance over me quickly before looking away.

He thumbed a few pages, "It's the book of dragons." I perked up a little. Dragons? A book? Did they know of any that I didn't? Competition for mine, I was going to become a dragon master, THE dragon master. This peg-legged chief will not take this away from me too.

All at once, everything happened. I slunk down quickly and snatched the book from him, diving beside him through the door and was downstairs before he was outside the doorway.

I laughed, wishing I could read the words inside, I never learned how. I felt my leg throb underneath me slightly and winced, I had forgotten it until now.

I opened the door and was out on a small porch quickly. I could hear the clip of iron on the stairs as he jumped down them and I panicked.

"Where is he, where is he, where is he…" I whispered as I looked around, hearing Hiccup come closer and closer, I was lost.

I felt tears running down my cheeks, I felt the wind on my face again and it reminded me of being on Bone's back, going somewhere fantastic and new. I felt the weight of this place on me, looking around and seeing that the dragons here were becoming sparse and most seemed to be losing their coloring almost completely. Nadders were no longer their regular green, blue or red, they were turning brown or an ugly green, Gronkles did not have their orange or blue spots, they were turning a darker brown than they even were… I couldn't quite place it…

I felt a hand on my shoulder whipping me around, hands snatched the book, which I let fall from my hands. I would get to look at it leisurely sooner or later, I swore by it.

"What are you doing? Get back inside," He said flatly, raising his hands in exaggeration. I wasn't looking at him though, I was staring at the gronkles, the nadders, the monstrous nightmares… I wasn't breathing.

He was talking to me, but I just gaped, trying to remember where I had seen this plague before.

"You can't be feeling well, let alone darting around on that leg- "I looked up at him fiercely, my gaze cutting him off.

"What's wrong with the dragons?" He seemed to notice why I was so unfocused. I watched his chest heave a sigh and he looked at me, gesturing for me to follow.

We walked inside, and I could see the worry in his face as we sat down where we sat yesterday.

"The dragons," he whispered, a look of sorrow drenched his features. "They've been like this for a while now, since the spring. Even Toothless has been a little lethargic, and that's something I've never seen before."

I frowned, looking around, studying the surroundings with haste. The kitchen table was crooked and chairs were slammed against the sides. There were a few dishes sitting out on a small counter, a large pot sat next to the stove where it had a thin layer of dust on it. It had been a while since a woman cooked in that modest kitchen.

I studied Hiccup, watching him mess with his thumbs quietly, his eyebrows furrowed together as he thought about something. His peg leg sat out ahead of him stiffly and I watched him, trying to pick apart his character.

He bit his lip when he was thinking, his hands had scratches on them from dragons or maybe from chief work, whatever that consisted of.

This whole being around people was the oddest thing I've ever done. Hiccup was a little scary, he was new. The people of Berk were rough around the edges, this wasn't like being eased into a lukewarm pool on a warm day, it was more like being pushed off the deep end…Naked.

I blinked, standing up to stretch my arms out. Hiccup looked over my leg, and I watched him again.

"I think I know what's wrong with the dragons…"

I definitely caught his attention.

Holy crap, a chapter?

Believe me, life has been hectic! The past year has been a rollarcoaster, but hopefully I'll be able to post more and more :) Its currently scholarship season and I've got my work cut out for me! SORRY that it has been so long! I'll be back more often :)

-Jos


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